The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Friday, ordered the demolition of an illegal settlement in Kukwaba District near Karmajiji, after intelligence linked the community to criminal activities.
The directive followed an inspection of the settlement by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, immediately after the FCT Security Committee meeting.
Accompanied by security chiefs, the minister visited the community, popularly known as “Ruga,” close to the Abuja City Gate, where he said criminal suspects often retreated after carrying out attacks in parts of the territory.
Wike said the continued existence of the settlement posed a serious security risk, insisting that the FCT Administration would not allow criminal hideouts to operate within the nation’s capital.
“Look at the area. You don’t even know who the occupants are. How do you identify them? How do you know where to locate them? And this is inside the city.
“This is a time bomb. There’s no way we can allow this. The FCT Administration will not allow criminal hideouts to thrive in Abuja.”
The minister directed the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, to work with the Director of the Department of Development Control to demolish the settlement.
He warned that anyone using such locations to aid criminal activities would face the full weight of the law, adding that the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal enclaves and improve security across the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property, saying security agencies would continue to sustain operations aimed at keeping Abuja safe.
